Cloning and Tracking Passport Cards and EDLs

Via engadget, here’s a fun video showing how easy it is to pick up information from passport cards and “enhanced driver’s licenses.” (Enhancement is in the eye of the beholder, of course.)

These cards use RFID to broadcast information when properly interrogated, and this information can be used (at a minimum) to track people’s movements. Hacker Chris Paget demonstrates this and discusses the weakness of using RFID on people.

San Francisco ex-pats like myself will take special delight from the video as Chris drives past Red’s Java House at minute 1:56. Burger me – NOW!

Jim Harper / Jim is the Director of Information Policy Studies at The Cato Institute, the Editor of Web-based privacy think-tank Privacilla.org, and the Webmaster of WashingtonWatch.com. Prior to becoming a policy analyst, Jim served as counsel to committees in both the House and Senate.